Natural Environment No impacts of provincial significance to the natural environment are anticipated for the rapid transit project. Other impacts and how they will be mitigated are outlined in the table below. Factor Potential Effects Mitigation Measures Aquatic Habitat & Fisheries Terrestrial Vegetation Faunal Community Storm Water Construction activities may: Disturb fish habitats near structures over watercourse crossings Introduce sediment and increase turbidity of water in creek systems Disturb creek banks Introduce fill and sediment run-off into natural heritage features Construction activities may: Damage trees, shrubs and roots where they are in close proximity to heavy machinery and the rapidway Deposit dust on vegetation Compact the soil during grading Increase edge effects because of cleared vegetation, potentially leading to the introduction and increased population of invasive species Construction activities may disturb breeding grounds for birds and other resident wildlife There may be changes to flow, flood storage, and run-off in some locations along the rapid transit corridor Sediment control measures will be used to avoid runoff Approvals will be obtained from the appropriate agencies if in-water works are needed During construction, where required: Fencing will be used to protect trees, shrubs and roots from heavy machinery Dust suppressants will be used to reduce or eliminate dust creation and deposits Root zones will be fenced off to avoid soil compaction Construction will be limited to areas outside of natural heritage features where possible The Region will comply with the existing tree replacement by-law Construction will be scheduled to limit potential impacts on endangered and protected fauna where possible Bird-nesting protective measures will be used where necessary Silt fencing will be set up and vegetation will be protected around frog breeding ponds as required Consideration will be given to adjusting the proposed alignment along rail corridors to maintain existing water drainage ditches and swales Efforts will be taken to maintain existing flood storage capacity along the spur Drainage ditches will be redesigned and relocated as necessary
Transportation & Utilities No impacts of provincial significance to transportation and utilities are anticipated for the rapid transit project. Other impacts and how they will be mitigated are outlined in the table below. Factor Potential Effects Mitigation Measures Roads & Traffic Transit Service Cycling & Pedestrian Facilities Utilities Traffic and access may be subject to restrictions and detours throughout the construction period Permanent changes to some vehicular accesses along the corridor will be required Some intersections along the corridor may experience greater delays during peak hours Some loss of on-street parking and loading opportunities Existing transit service may be detoured during construction Pedestrian and cycling access may be restricted in some areas during construction Construction disruption from replacement and relocation of utilities Property impacts due to widening of road allowance to accommodate utility relocations Temporary loss of utility service during construction Hydro transmission lines will be buried along the hydro corridor, between Courtland Avenue and Fairview Park Mall, with the potential to disrupt unknown archaeological resources Construction will be staged to minimize impacts to businesses and residences The Region will work with residents and business owners before and during construction to minimize construction impacts Traffic management plans will be developed for temporary road closures and detours Signalized intersections in the study area will be assessed and adjusted as required to provide better signal coordination within the network for all modes The system will be designed to minimize impacts on parking and loading opportunities The Region is committed to maintaining GRT service along impacted corridors during construction Pedestrians and cyclists will have access through construction zones where possible Local pedestrian access to residences and businesses will be maintained during construction Residents and businesses will be kept informed of utility construction activities Utility relocations and related service interruptions will be minimized On most streets along the route, utilities will be located outside of the rapidway to ensure the continuity of LRT service in the event of a utility failure or replacement Consideration will be given to encasing utilities to protect them from surface works where required Construction will be staged to minimize impacts to businesses and residences If undocumented archaeological resources are found during construction, the appropriate process set out by the Ontario Heritage Act will be followed
Socio-Economic Environment No impacts of provincial significance to the socio-economic environment are anticipated for the rapid transit project. Other impacts and how they will be mitigated are outlined in the table below. Factor Potential Effects Mitigation Measures Property Noise & Vibration Air Quality Less than 150 partial property purchases and less than 15 buyouts will be required along the rapid transit corridor Construction noise will be typical of road widening or extension projects Construction staging areas for assembling and storing materials will have the potential to create localized noise and vibration impacts The proposed alignment will bring transit operations closer to some properties with the potential for vibration impacts There may be noise and vibration increases around the maintenance and storage facility Construction will have the potential to increase dust emissions from noncombustion sources Construction activities, vehicles and stationary combustion sources will emit exhaust emissions (including greenhouse gases) Localized air quality may worsen at park n ride locations and rapid transit terminals because of increased bus and auto activity Detailed property requirements will be prepared in future design phases Consultation with property owners to discuss property requirements and acquisition is occurring and will continue Compensation will be provided at fair market value of the land and the remaining property will be restored to the condition it was prior to the project In the case of expropriation, the process set out in the Ontario Expropriations Act will be followed to ensure the rights of property owners are protected Construction staging areas will be designed and located to minimize impacts The rapid transit system will be designed to comply with the Ministry of Environment noise and vibration requirements. This design will require a noise barrier at the following two locations: Bearinger Road Quiet Place Pattandon Avenue The maintenance and storage facility will be located in an industrial area, away from noise-sensitive residential areas During construction: Dust suppressants will be used to reduce or eliminate dust creation and deposits during clearing, grading, earth moving, excavation, or transport of cut or fill Excavated or fill materials stored on site will be covered Street cleaning will be done to limit the tracking of materials The idling time of construction equipment will be minimized Energy efficient construction equipment will be used where possible Higher levels of transit, using newer buses and electric trains, will encourage a switch from car travel to transit resulting in an improvement of overall air quality Ottawa Street South Mill Street Sydney Street South
Cultural & Built Heritage No impacts of provincial significance to cultural and built heritage are anticipated for the rapid transit project. Other impacts and how they will be mitigated are outlined in the table below. Factor Potential Effects Mitigation Measures Cultural & Built Heritage Archaeology Some visual and physical changes to cultural heritage landscapes are expected from road widenings and rail realignment on the existing spurs No archaeological resources were encountered within the limits of the rapid transit alignment during Stage 1 and Stage 2 archaeological assessments Impacts to heritage resources will be minimized by maximizing the use of the existing road allowance and acquiring properties only at critical locations Where possible, consideration will be given to reducing the visual impacts of the rapid transit system in historic areas through the use of context-sensitive design Documentation of the existing rail corridor context and associated history will be provided to local archives Required archaeological licensing (Stage 1 and Stage 2) will be obtained before construction If undocumented archaeological resources are found during construction, the appropriate process set out by the Ontario Heritage Act will be followed
Impact Conclusions No impacts of provincial significance are anticipated for the rapid transit project. Monitoring Process An impact monitoring plan will be developed to ensure compliance with relevant legislation. Construction Compliance Objectives: Address commitments in the Environmental Project Report and conditions of any permits and approvals Develop summary reports documenting compliance with the plan Objectives: Operational Compliance Identify problems and evaluate effectiveness of controls Confirm that technology and system operates as designed and determine any remedial improvements Report on results and take appropriate follow-up action Commitments to Further Work The Region will undertake future design phases building upon the functional design plans to further evaluate and define alignment, stations, maintenance and storage facility, park n ride, and other specifications. The Region will continue consultation with the public, agencies, stakeholders and First Nation communities. Next Steps May 2012: Completion of the TPA for Stage 1 2014: Full implementation of abrt Begin construction of LRT Stage 1 Begin the planning process for the TPA for LRT Stage 2 2017: Complete construction and begin operation of LRT Stage 1
Procurement What is a P3? P3 stands for public private partnership. The partnership is based on a negotiated contract between a public organization and a private company. They work together to complete projects. The intent of a P3 is to build on the strengths of each partner (public and private sector). Each project is different, therefore public and private sector roles adjust to provide the best outcome. What is a procurement and delivery option? Procurement is a process used to buy a product or service. Delivery is how that product or service is built and/or provided. Together, a procurement and delivery option is one way that a product or service can be completed. There can be many different options for purchasing and providing a product or service. A procurement and delivery option can include private sector involvement in any combination of designing, building, financing, operating and maintaining of a project. What does the Region of Waterloo s preliminary preferred procurement and delivery option, DBFOM, mean? DBFOM is one way that the rapid transit project can be purchased, constructed, financed and eventually operated and maintained. As noted above, this is a P3 approach that is a partnership between the public and private sector. DBFOM means: Design = the private company would complete detailed design drawings and plans of the route. Build = the private company would build the rapid transit system. Finance = the private company would have to obtain financing to pay its employees and other costs in advance of the Region s instalment payments. The Region would withhold part of the construction payment to the private company and pay it in instalments when the contract requirements are met by the private company over the term of the project. Operate = the private company would manage the day-to-day operations of the light rail transit (LRT) system. Maintain = the private company would look after the repairs and upkeep of the LRT system, including tracks and vehicles. Why is DBFOM the Region s preliminary preferred procurement and delivery option? DBFOM would provide the following benefits: Cost: LRT design and construction can proceed at the same time, with significant time savings, better coordination and more efficient construction. The private company would have to deal with competitive pressure and answer to their lenders, so they would be inclined to provide a better value and a lower total project cost ensuring that the project is on time and on budget. Experience and qualifications: The private sector has more experience and qualifications than the Region with designing and constructing an LRT system. They also have more experience with operating and maintaining an LRT system at start-up, and with providing trained and certified staff to operate the light rail vehicles.
Incentives: With DBFOM, payments and penalties based on performance would provide incentive for the private sector to complete the project on time and on budget. The payments and penalties would also apply to performance standards for operating and maintaining a high-quality LRT system over the long term. If the private sector does not perform to the standards set in the contract, it does not get paid. Risks: With DBFOM, the Region limits its risk by placing responsibility on the private sector. The Region monitors the service and holds back payments if the private sector does not meet the contract performance standards. DBFOM would provide better accountability where performance may be related to either maintenance or operation because the same company is responsible for both. DBFOM would also transfer lifecycle risks such as major vehicle and track maintenance to the private sector. The Region would be responsible for those risks that it is best able to manage, such as fare setting and ridership risk. With DBFOM, who would own the LRT system? The Region would own the LRT system. With DBFOM, who would be in charge of setting the fare price and scheduling of the LRT? The Region of Waterloo would set the ticket price and establish the schedule of the LRT. With DBFOM, who would get the money from the fares? The Region of Waterloo would receive the fare revenue, which would offset the cost of the Region s transit system. With DBFOM, would it cost more for a private company to look after the LRT? Over the project term, it would cost less than the other procurement and delivery options. With DBFOM, what happens after thirty years? After thirty years or the length of the project term, the contract with the private company would end. The Region of Waterloo could assume operations and maintenance, or extend the contract of the current private company, or find a new private company to operate and maintain the LRT system. With DBFOM, who would drive the trains and buses? The private company would supply the operators to drive the LRT trains, keeping to the Region s service schedule. Grand River Transit operators would drive the buses. More bus drivers will be needed because of the Region s approved plan to expand the transit network. Has the Region contracted out operations and maintenance to the private sector before? The Region has successfully contracted out operations and maintenance of garbage and recycling collection, recycling sorting, and wastewater treatment plants. The Region retains ownership of facilities, sets user rates, and is responsible for customer service and addressing customer issues.
Sp or Hes p ele r Waterloo Region Transit System rld o tsw a Ro d